


Snow

by Storyteller_of_the_Forest



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Anxiety, Brothers, Family is family, Feels, Gen, Healing, Hope, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Loki is a Good Bro (Marvel), Memories, No Slash, PTSD, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Snow, Thor (Marvel) is Not Stupid, Thor (Marvel) is a Good Bro, Thor Needs a Hug (Marvel), Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:35:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25927492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Storyteller_of_the_Forest/pseuds/Storyteller_of_the_Forest
Summary: Throughout his life, Loki has always loved colder weather. Unlike most of the Aesir, he finds it pleasant and soothing. A short fic of snapshots showing how Thor learned to appreciate colder weather from his brother.(Part of my New Asgard AU)
Relationships: Loki & Thor (Marvel)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 63





	Snow

**Author's Note:**

> Hello beloved readers. Tis I, Storyteller, come to tug at your heartstrings once more.
> 
> This year has been kicking my butt in a multitude of fun and creative ways. It's like every single time I think I have some kind of hope that something will be normal, nope, here comes the pandemic to snatch it away. Life is just a big old suckfest at the moment.
> 
> As I'm want to do in such situations, I decided to write a series of one-shots that follow the Odinsons through some incredibly trying times (we're talking some bad periods) and how they persevere. Because I think stories of hope are so very important in times like these. Life sucks now, but one day it won't. One day, things will get better, even it seems impossible.
> 
> Anyhow, I'm not in a place at the moment where I can dedicate time to writing another multichapter fic, but I hope 5 or 6 one-shots will suffice. Hopefully it will bring a smile to some of your faces. I look forward to reading and responding to your comments.
> 
> I plan to post once a week, so subscribe if you haven't already (not sure what day I will post or time, but I'm going to try for one a week).
> 
> Hope you enjoy!
> 
> REGULAR WARNINGS
> 
> Haven't seen Infinity War and am not going to see Infinity War (the Russos are terrible human beings. I don't want to hear about them or their god awful garbage).
> 
> I don't do romantic ships, especially not between family members. If you're into that kind of thing, go elsewhere (and don't tag my work with incest ships, please).
> 
> I'm still somewhat new to writing fics. So I apologize for any mistakes, mis-characterizations, formatting errors, or just any glaring errors. Please be gentle: writing fics is literally stress relief for me.
> 
> Kudos and comments are greatly appreciated. I don't own anything, obviously all characters and recognizable aspects belong to Marvel.
> 
> I hope you enjoy the story and thank you for reading :)

* * *

Loki had always had a natural affinity for snow. He loved cool weather, the colder the better. It was yet another thing that made him different from almost all the Aesir. The Aesir loved the warmth and heat of summer. Warm weather brought about new life and revelry. There were many celebrations that took place on warm spring and summer nights.

Loki found heat unpleasant and too much of it resulted in a pounding headache, sometimes making him sick to his stomach. In his younger years, Loki tried to fit in and would stay out in the warmer weather much longer than he knew he should. Even when the pain started, he would force himself to remain outdoors. Frigga would often gently chide him after such incidents. Yet Loki kept persisting.

In his youth, his love of the cold did not escape the eyes of bullies. Many a day he would lock himself in his room and huddle in a corner, plotting revenge.

One day, after his peers had been unusually vicious and persistent, Loki once again found himself in his room. Winter was approaching, but Loki could take no comfort in it. Sniffling and swiping at his eyes, he tried to be silent.

Hearing the door to his room open, he looked up. His brother’s round face appeared, a bright smile lighting up his features. His smile fell when he caught sight of his brother. Stepping inside and closing the door behind him, Thor crossed the room and stood over Loki for a moment. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again. With a sigh, he sat down next to Loki. For a while, the two just sat side by side.

“It’ll be winter soon,” Thor mentioned lightly. “Mother says we might even get our first snowfall next week.”

“I hope not. I hate the cold,” Loki said tearfully.

“No, you don’t. You love the ice and snow. You always have.”

“Not anymore,” Loki insisted. “I like the warm weather and the sun.”

Thor frowned, confused. “Is this because of what those boys said?”

“No,” Loki replied a little too quickly. Thor gave him a very skeptical look and Loki sighed, looking away from his brother, sniffling.

“They said only monsters from the underworld and Jotunheim like the cold. Only beings of death and destruction are comfortable in such climes according to our texts. Everyone says to love the cold is to embrace death. So, if I enjoy the cold, I must be a monster.”

Thor wrapped his still small arms around his brother. “You’re no monster. No brother of mine could be a monster. Just because you like the cold doesn’t make you any less Aesir. You mustn’t let anyone convince you otherwise.”

Loki snuggled up against his brother. “Really? You do not think I’m a monster?”

“Of course not,” Thor replied, hugging his brother tightly. “I promise you, Loki. We’re going to have so much fun during the winter. We shall play in the snow and cold every day, for as long as we can. Would you like that?”

Loki grinned and nodded. He knew Thor wasn’t as fond of the cold weather as he, but Thor was willing to humor him. And, the young trickster hoped his brother would eventually learn to enjoy the colder weather the way Loki did.

_*_

“Loki?”

Loki didn’t respond from where he was sitting at a table, by himself, his face in his hand. The last thing he wanted to deal with at the moment was his annoying lout of a brother. The pounding in his skull was starting to get unbearable. The raucous party that surrounded him wasn’t helping matters. It was just so loud.

Opening his eyes, he looked over at Thor, surprised his brother was still sober. If the god of thunder was showing restraint, it was a bloody miracle.

Thor’s face creased as he sat beside Loki. “What is the matter?”

Loki waved him away. “Nothing. I just needed to sit down for a moment. I shall rejoin you soon.”

The god of thunder shook his head. “It is an unusually warm night. I know heat has never agreed with you. Surely it is causing you some discomfort.”

Had he not felt so ill, Loki would have rolled his eyes. “I’m fine.”

Placing down his stein, Thor rose to his feet. “Come. I grow weary of this revelry. Walk with me for a bit?”

Loki swallowed his nausea and looked up at his brother. “Perhaps I have not tired of it yet.”

Thor shook his head. “Must you be so stubborn?”

Another round of shouting rose up from the crowd, someone was challenging someone else to a feat of strength. The noise was only going to get worse. Loki reluctantly rose to his feet and followed his brother out of the large tent.

They only got a few feet away before Loki folded over at the waist and vomited. Putting his hand against a nearby tree, he continued emptying his stomach. It had been abnormally hot in Asgard and the weather was proving difficult for Loki.

Once he finished throwing up, he looked over at Thor, who was looking off into the distance.

“If you wish to return to your friends, I will be fine on my own. You do not have to play nursemaid,” Loki grumbled. Thor glanced at him, frowning.

“Your mood has been foul of late. Is something the matter?”

Loki shook his head. “You are imagining things. My mood is no different than it usually is.”

He stumbled and Thor reached out, placing a hand on his elbow, steadying him. Loki would have pulled away, but realizing his balance wasn’t entirely sound, decided against doing so. He and his brother walked in silence back to his quarters. They had been squabbling so much recently and long periods went without a word spoken between them. Loki wasn’t sure when they had grown apart, he didn’t care, but he was keenly aware of how it bothered Thor.

“Do you need anything further, brother?” Thor asked quietly. Loki shook his head.

“Go back to your revels, Thor. I shall see you in the morning,” he said softly with a smirk. Thor looked as though he wanted to protest, but nodded and gently patted Loki’s shoulder.

“An unusually hot summer means we shall have a nice long winter,” he said, and Loki chuckled.

“One can only hope,” he replied.

Thor turned and made his way back down the hall while Loki turned to his room, shutting the door.

Making his way over to the bed, Loki flopped down on it and closed his eyes. He couldn’t wait for winter to arrive.

His sleep was unusually troubled that night. He dreamt of fire and burning, of his brother being slain on a battlefield, and a loud booming terrifying voice roaring that it was his fault. That his mischief had brought about this scene. As Loki held his brother’s body, staring out at the frightening scene, he felt an indescribable dread overtake him.

He awoke with a grasp, sitting straight up in his bed, covered in sweat. Glancing over to the passageway that led to his brother’s quarters, he briefly considered using it before deciding against doing so. Slowly lying back down in bed, Loki swallowed and turned on his side, closing his eyes.

He didn’t sleep for the rest of the night.

_*_

Loki dreaded the first winter in New Asgard. Even though they were well prepared, and their allies aided them greatly, Loki was imagining multiple worst-case scenarios. He could picture all the Aesir freezing to death because of some minor detail he overlooked. It was always the things he overlooked that inevitably blew up in Loki’s face.

Brunnhilde volunteered to stay in New Asgard for the winter, much to Loki’s surprise. “Yeah, well, I know what you’re like,” she pointed out. Loki was somewhat insulted by that.

As he double and triple checked that everything was ready for the winter, Loki began to feel a familiar loneliness creep into his mind. He dreaded the free moments he had to himself, when his memories could creep into the forefront of his mind.

The night before the first snow was forecast to fall, Loki found himself taking care of his late brother’s weapon. There was something calming in the repetition of the activity. When he first grabbed the handle of the weapon, he felt a mild zap. It wasn’t painful, more like his brother’s lingering lightning recognizing him and saying hello.

“Stop it,” Loki hissed as he took the weapon onto the porch where he had gathered what he would need to care for the mighty axe. Sitting down on a chair, he grabbed a rag and started polishing the blade. He could feel the remnants of Thor’s lightning humming throughout the weapon. Sniffling, Loki tried to swallow his tears. The thought of experiencing his first Midgardian winter without Thor brought an ache to his heart. Loki had become accustomed to feeling empty, to being alone, but there were some moments that were harder to bear.

The next morning, Loki awoke early and went for his daily walk. Before he went in to work, he walked for an hour, traveling a rarely used path. He usually visited the place where he, Thor, and Odin last sat together. He never stopped there. Those memories were still too painful to revisit.

This particular morning, Loki found himself drawn to that spot. Almost against his will, he walked toward those three flat stones, where he had sat with his brother and father. Before everything had gone to Hel. Loki clasped his hands behind his back, warmth creeping in his eyes. He hesitated, but then sat where he had sat that fateful day. It felt so wrong. Being alive, in this place, when Thor was not, it didn’t feel right.

_He would never forget holding his brother during those final moments. He wished Thor had been angry at him. The trickster wished his brother would have cursed him with his last breaths, for his arrogance and foolishness. For his part in bringing them to this place. For his role in Thor being so grievously wounded by Thanos._

_He wished Thor had hated him._

_It might have made losing him just a little easier._

_But that wasn’t Thor. That wasn’t his brother._

_Instead, Thor had smiled at him, gently brushed away his tears, comforted him as Loki broke down. The god of thunder reassured him that he still loved his brother. He did what he always did: he took care of others first. Even at the end, Thor thought first of others._

Loki gasped on a sob and lowered his face to his hands, tears starting to spill over his eyes. Gods, he missed his brother. He hated to admit it, couldn’t bring himself to acknowledge it, but he missed his brother so much that it hurt. Thor’s loss was a deep wound that showed no signs of healing. At times, it was too much for Loki to handle.

A soft chill on his hand drew Loki’s attention down. He noticed a snowflake melt upon his flesh. Another fell and then another. Loki looked up to the sky where hundreds more snowflakes started slowly drifting down and landing upon the ground. Pushing himself to a standing position, he closed his eyes and kept his face turned up to the sky.

He took a deep breath in, feeling all the tension in his body slowly start to dissipate. Exhaling, Loki felt calmness wash over him. For the first time since the war ended, he felt free. He was free. Free from the terror and the dread, the awful feeling of waiting for the other shoe to fall.

He was free to live, to breathe.

The wind picked up a little, swirling around him briefly. It almost felt like a very faint embrace, a comfort. He could almost hear Thor’s strong voice in the wind. _I’m here, brother. In your memories and your heart. I love you._

Part of him would always miss Thor, would likely always mourn for him, but the trickster could also appreciate this new life. Thor had sacrificed his own life in part to make sure Loki could live, so he could be safe. Loki would do his best to honor his late brother’s memory by making sure he didn’t take it for granted.

_*_

The first winter after Thor’s return, the god of thunder was suffering from what they would later learn was a melancholy episode. It was more intense than his tended to be. Loki attributed it to the cold weather and tried to keep their home as warm as he could. It didn’t seem to help. No matter what he said or did, Thor looked miserable.

Thor spent a great deal of time on the couch, usually asleep, while Loki reviewed numerous documents pertaining to the running of New Asgard. They ate their meals together and Loki often had to help his brother when Thor was experiencing such a low mood. Then he would lead Thor back out to the main area of the home, make sure he was comfortable, and turn his attention to matters pertaining to the running of New Asgard. It was a routine. Loki abhorred routines, but the consistency made things easier for Thor. So, Loki begrudgingly stuck to them as much as he could.

Earlier that morning, Loki had noticed Thor gazing out the window as snow started to fall. The god of thunder looked back to him, obviously puzzled about something, though Loki wasn’t sure what. _Dear gods, I hope that’s not yet another thing we shall have to manage. Thor being delirious regularly would be a nightmare. The last thing we need is more of those,_ Loki thought, glancing over to where his brother was laying on the couch. Surprisingly, Thor wasn’t asleep. Instead, he was looking out the window at the snow.

Loki ran a hand over his face as he looked back to the numbers in front of him, his vision going blurry. The current document he was reviewing had to do with taxes in New Asgard and it was unbelievably dull. Loki would be amazed if he managed to get through it without falling asleep.

The feeling of a hand on his shoulder startled him and he looked up to his brother. Thor was standing over him, but his eye was on the window. Loki straightened up and Thor looked back to him.

“I didn’t hear you get up,” Loki said softly, smiling. “Are you hungry? You haven’t eaten anything substantial since dinner last night.”

Thor shook his head, looking back to the window and then again at his brother. He pointed. Loki frowned, unsure what his brother wanted. He tilted back a little, looking out the window. It was a normal winter’s night, nothing out of the ordinary. Ah, perhaps Thor wanted something from the shops.

“Is there something you have a taste for?” Loki asked, looking around his small desk and pulling out a sheet of blank paper. “Here, write it down and I shall go out and get it for you.”

Thor frowned and stared at the paper. Loki offered him a pen, which Thor took. He quickly scribbled down a single word and tapped the paper with his pen. Loki read it, frowning. _Snow._

“Yes, it’s wintertime,” Loki began, and Thor smiled slightly, pointing at Loki with the pen. “I’m afraid I don’t understand, Thor.”

Thor tugged at Loki’s arm, quickly scribbling down more words. _It’s snowing. Outside._ Loki stared at his brother, wondering if Thor had actually lost whatever was left of his mind. There was a light in his eye, one that hadn’t been there in quite a while.

“Yes, Thor. Where else exactly would it snow?” Loki said slowly, wondering if he should bring his brother to the hospital.

Thor let out his breath and seemed to deflate a bit. Tearing out the paper so he could write on a clean sheet, he scribbled a bit more.

_You have always loved the winter and the snow. Let us sit outside and enjoy it._

Loki stared at the words, unsure how to take them. He could feel Thor still tugging insistently at his arm. The trickster hesitated, thinking. Thor had been reluctant to go outside. The one time Loki tried to insist he do so, Thor suffered a panic episode. The dark-haired god couldn’t remember the last time Thor had actually been outside their home.

“The winter isn’t going anywhere, brother. I have work to do,” Loki started. Thor’s face fell and he hung his head, an air of defeat around him. Loki rolled his eyes. He did so hate when Thor was mopey. Glancing at the documents, they were pretty much finished. He didn’t have anything else scheduled for the night.

“All right,” Loki relented, and Thor looked up, an expression of hope and even a hint of excitement on his face. “But only for a few minutes.”

Thor nodded swiftly and followed his brother over to the coat closet. Loki pulled out Thor’s boots first, helping his brother put them on. Next, he pulled out Thor’s heavy jacket and put that on his brother. Thor was practically bouncing on his heels. Loki almost smiled, pleased to see his brother excited about something.

Grabbing his own jacket and boots, Loki pulled them on and moved over to the front door. He hesitated, glancing over at his brother. Thor looked a little uneasy, but he was waiting patiently. The trickster unlocked the door and pulled it open, closing his eyes and smiling when he felt the frigid gust of air on his face. Oh how he had missed this weather.

The darkness wasn’t as deep in the winter. The snow glistened invitingly, and the shadows of the night seemed gray. The large moon hung in the cloudless sky, casting its soft light upon the twinkling bed of snow. The winters in New Asgard were really lovely.

Stepping out onto the porch, Loki looked back to Thor, who was standing in the open doorway. There was still sadness in his expression, but there was also a look of peace. Swallowing, he exhaled, his breath fogging in front of him. Cautiously, he put one foot out on the porch. Loki waited patiently, though inwardly he felt excitement. His brother was willingly stepping out of the house. It was a small step, but it was progress.

Thor carefully stepped outside, staring at his feet. Loki noticed he was trembling a little and flexing his fingers. The trickster took a step back so that he was standing beside Thor, looping his arm through his brother’s. Thor looked over to him.

“Come, brother, let’s sit over here,” Loki encouraged softly. Thor nodded and quietly walked alongside Loki to the two chairs that sat out on the front porch. Easing himself down into one, Thor looked out over the snowy landscape. Loki dropped down into his own seat, relaxing in the surprisingly comfortable wicker chair. He closed his eyes, a small grin still dancing across his lips.

“You have always been so happy in colder weather.”

Loki’s eyes snapped open and he looked to his brother, surprised that Thor had spoken. Thor was looking off into the distance, smiling sadly.

“Your smile came so easy when there was snow on the ground. I remember I began to look forward to our winters because I liked watching how you lit up. You were like that throughout our lives,” Thor continued speaking softly.

“Hardly surprising, considering my Jotun heritage,” Loki pointed out. “You must have regretted not having a regular sibling who could enjoy the warm weather with you.”

“No,” Thor said with a shake of his head. “I never thought of you as my Jotun brother. I still don’t. You have always been and will always be my brother, just my brother. Whatever made you happy made me happy. Your love of the snow and cold gave me an appreciation for such things, one I wouldn’t have developed otherwise.”

The god of thunder paused and swallowed. “I-I thought I would never see your smile again, after the Statesman, when Thanos…”

Thor shook his head, closing his eye, his lower lip trembling. Loki reached over and put his hand over Thor’s. When the god of thunder looked over to him, the trickster grinned. He was pleased to see a smile briefly dance across Thor’s face. The golden-haired god turned his attention back out to the snowy landscape.

Thor sniffled and swiped at his eye. “When they first brought me back, those memories of you smiling in the snow were the most vivid in my mind. Those were the ones I clung to when they…when they were…”

Thor trailed off and dropped his head, unable to continue. Loki rose from his seat and knelt in front of his brother, placing his hands atop Thor’s. When he heard Thor sniffle again and spotted a few tears, Loki leaned forward and rested his brow against his brother’s, closing his own eyes when he felt warmth invade them. Thinking of his brother, trapped and in pain, bothered Loki. It hurt to think of Thor being subjected to such treatment. There was still a part of him that wanted to hunt down the responsible parties and raze their homes to the ground. He wanted to inflict the same tortures upon them and see how they liked it.

“When I realized I would live, that I would be able to reach this place, I was most looking forward to the winter,” Thor told him, a shaky smile dancing across his lips. “I was going to witness your joy again.”

Loki smirked and sat back, raising an eyebrow. “Well, I hope I did not disappoint.”

Thor shook his head. “Never.”

With a sigh, Thor rose from the chair and for a moment, Loki thought he would go back in the house. He was sure Thor didn’t enjoy the cold as much as he did. The god of thunder instead sat beside the trickster on the ground. He reached over and interlaced his gloved fingers with Loki’s.

“I missed you, brother,” Thor whispered. Loki leaned over and rested his head against Thor’s, gently squeezing his hand.

“I am glad you are home, Thor,” he replied. Thor wrapped his arms around his brother, hugging him gently. Loki closed his eyes, burying his nose in Thor’s shoulder briefly and breathing in his scent. There were still days he woke up, fearful his brother wouldn’t be there. Even though Thor was struggling with some mysterious ailment, Loki didn’t care. He was just happy his brother was with him once again. Thor lived. That was all that mattered. They could figure everything else out.

“It is beautiful,” Thor said softly, drawing Loki’s attention to him. Loki straightened up and Thor looked back to him, smiling faintly.

“The snow,” he clarified. “I understand your love of the winter.”

Loki grinned and wrapped his arms around the god of thunder, allowing Thor to curl up against him. The golden haired god rested his head on Loki’s chest, his gaze remaining on the snowy scene in front of them. The trickster followed his brother’s gaze to the gently falling snow. New Asgard did have truly beautiful winters, perhaps even better than Asgard’s. _Midgard does have its charms,_ Loki decided.

_*_

Thor rolled his eye when he heard his brother let out another long-suffering sigh. He looked over to where Loki was sitting across from him, his feet up on the desk. The dark-haired god looked bored as he looked out the window.

“Is something wrong, Loki?” Thor asked.

“We have been working for hours,” Loki groaned. “Why has the workload suddenly increased?”

“It hasn’t suddenly increased. We always have more to do around this time of year.”

Loki harrumphed and started swiveling his chair side-to-side, creating a squeaking noise. Thor gritted his teeth and tried to ignore it. He could practically feel his brother smirking as he made the squeak louder.

“Loki, stop!” Thor finally snapped. Loki sighed, but stopped swiveling the chair. Thor massaged his brow, knowing they wouldn’t accomplish anything when Loki was in one of his moods.

“Brother, I can finish this. Why don’t you—”

“Are you certain?” Loki asked, already moving toward the door as he pulled on his winter coat. “I would hate to leave you on your own with all this dreadful boring work.”

He carelessly slammed the door to the office, causing Thor to wince and shake his head. He let out a huff of a laugh, looking back to the document. _Heavens knows what scheme he shall cook up with the free time,_ Thor thought with a smile. With Loki around, life was never boring.

A few moments passed and Thor continued reviewing the forms in front of him, getting lost in the technicalities of what he was reading through. He thought he heard a soft grinding sound, but was too focused on the documents in front of him.

Something cold and wet, yet oddly firm struck the side of his head, causing him to jolt and spin around. The cold winter air blew in through the opened office window, which Thor knew for a fact had been closed. Rising from his seat, Thor stormed over to the window and stuck his head out.

“Loki!”

He didn’t get out another word before being struck with another snowball, directly in his face. The sound of the trickster’s laughter filtered into his head. Thor scrubbed the snow off his face and glared at Loki, who was packing another ball of snow.

“What is wrong with you?” Thor shouted down to him.

“It’s the winter, Thor. The first snow has fallen, let us make the time to enjoy it,” Loki called up to him, throwing another snowball. Thor narrowly dodged it. For a moment, he was irritated and considered snapping at his brother. But he remembered what it had been like to lose Loki. The god of thunder had vowed never to take his brother for granted again.

An idea formed in Thor’s mind and he hurried out of the office, grabbing his jacket on the way out. Instead of heading for the front, like he normally would, Thor went for the back of the building. Once he opened the back door, a frigid blast of winter air gusted up in his face. Thor shivered, but reached down to the snow with gloved hands, grabbing a fair amount and packing it together.

Creeping around the building, Thor spotted his brother standing a few feet away with his back to him. The god of thunder grinned, pleased to have gotten the drop on the trickster for a change. He hurled the snowball as hard as he could…only to see the illusion dissipate when the snowball went through it.

Thor stared in disbelief at where his brother had been. A snowball struck the back of his head and Thor spun around, stunned to see Loki standing there.

“Are you ever not going to fall for that?” Loki teased, arching his eyebrow. Thor grinned devilishly and ran towards his brother, tackling the trickster to the snowy ground. Loki immediately maneuvered away from him and into a tight joint lock, which took Thor a little time to get out of. Once he had, he grabbed a handful of snow and packed it into a ball.

The two spent the rest of the afternoon throwing balls of snow at each other, hitting one another an equal amount. By the time they had worn themselves out, they were damp with snow and sweat, panting, but in high spirits. Together, the two sat on the steps of the town hall, looking out at the city they ran and watching the sun set.

“That was absolutely childish,” Thor said, unable to keep from smiling.

“Perhaps, but it was also fun,” Loki replied with a shrug, grinning just as much. Thor laughed and leaned back on his elbows.

“Did you ever think this would come to pass?” Thor asked the trickster what he’d asked numerous times in the past.

“No,” Loki replied as he always did. “I didn’t think anything like this would ever come to pass. I never imagined you would return after…”

Loki trailed off and Thor looked over at him. The trickster was staring toward the horizon, his lips set in a straight line. Thor reached over and grasped his brother’s hand. When Loki looked toward him, Thor grinned slightly. Loki smirked and shook his head, but didn’t shake off Thor’s hand.

“I did not think I would recover,” Thor confessed. “Even after I returned to New Asgard, I never imagined I would ever have the ability to be a leader again, not in the condition I was in.”

His bright smile fell slightly. “Sometimes I still have bad dreams about that period of time.”

“Because you dwell on the past,” Loki grumbled. Thor frowned and looked over at him.

“I do not dwell,” he protested.

“Yes, you do. You always have,” Loki replied, a familiar mischievous light in his green eyes. “I do not remember infancy, but I imagine you picked up the habit then.”

Thor smiled as he looked out over New Asgard, their home. “I never would have been able to achieve such things had it not been for you. You built our home and then helped me heal. I could not be more grateful to you, brother.”

“Yes, well, I had to do something to pass the time,” Loki quipped. Thor laughed and pulled his brother into a hug. The trickster squirmed, putting up an obligatory protest, but allowed his brother to embrace him. Loki rolled his eyes, knowing this was something that would never change. It didn’t help that his brother was more affectionate than usual on account of his old shieldbrothers were going to be spending the holidays with them. Thor tended to be even more affectionate when he was looking forward to something.

“The winters in our home are so beautiful,” Thor mentioned. “I look forward to sharing many more with you and our friends.”

Loki grinned as he looked out at the town, which was covered in freshly fallen snow. The town was mostly quiet. The Aesir in general still preferred warmer weather and didn’t venture out often in the cold.

As he allowed his mind to wander, Loki remembered the days when Thor had been suffering. When they had to live day to day, sometimes hour to hour. When Thor had expressed his wish that he were numbered among the dead and nothing Loki did could reignite the fight that had always been a part of him.

For a time, Loki thought he was merely fighting the inevitable again. And he fought like a wildcat, fighting for every single hour, every single minute, every single second he could have with his brother. He fought every day, often to the point of exhaustion. Something he never let Thor see.

Loki feared that spark of life would never return to Thor’s eye. But it had.

Even though Thor still had bad days, some he struggled to get through, he was no longer hopeless. He did whatever it took to get through the hard days, even seeking out and asking for help when he needed. It gave Loki hope. The sun truly was shining on them again.

Smiling, the trickster leaned against his brother, allowing himself to embrace the happiness he felt.

“As do I, brother,” Loki whispered, smiling when Thor hugged him a little tighter. “As do I.”

**_The End_ **


End file.
